Stark Industries Lab, Long Island
Blinding white light faded, leaving a scorched smell in the air. The quantum tunnel's wreckage smoked, but the monstrous tentacle still thrashed wildly. From the tunnel's depths, more slimy tendrils emerged, a colossal figure flickering in the void.
"Here we go again!" Tony shouted, his armor's palm repulsors charging.
James's gold eyes blazed, entering combat mode instantly. He levitated, his right fist wreathed in hellfire, and smashed the nearest tentacle. Boom! The appendage burned, screeching horribly. But more tendrils surged, lunging like living spears.
"Let me handle this!" Wanda's hands wove scarlet chaos magic, forming chains that bound two sneaking tentacles. Magic clashed with extradimensional energy, sparking crimson light. Kara's heat vision sliced a tentacle aimed at the control panel, the severed piece writhing like a beached fish before James's hellfire incinerated it.
"Try this!" Tony's shoulder plates opened, launching micro-missiles. Explosions lit the lab, but the tentacles were unharmed—physical attacks were useless. Wanda followed up, her scarlet energy slicing like blades, severing a tentacle with a pained wail from the void.
Seizing the moment, James's hands flashed through seals, golden runes forming. "Restoration!" The tunnel's damage healed visibly, but before it closed, all saw the horror: an octopus-like head with countless rolling eyes, its lower half a writhing mass of tentacles—a Cthulhu-esque demon god.
Bang! The tunnel sealed, the lab calming. Wanda, pale and breathless, asked, "What was that?"
James dispelled his magic, expression grave. "A dimensional demon god, an energy-devourer. Our experiment caught its attention."
Tony lifted his faceplate, sweating. "Good thing the equipment's intact… mostly." He glanced at the wrecked lab, chuckling dryly.
Kara scanned the device with super vision. "Main structure's fine, but the energy conduits need replacing."
"We need stronger defenses," James said, pulling up new schematics. "Add a magic barrier around the tunnel and adjust the quantum frequency to avoid that dimension."
Tony stroked his goatee. "Vibranium coating could stabilize it."
Wanda, watching them dive back into work, sighed to Kara. "They're completely unfazed, aren't they?"
Kara smiled. "Genius minds are weird like that." She paused, adding, "I'd join if I cared about tech."
Wanda: "…"
Hours later, the quantum tunnel was upgraded with magic runes and vibranium layers. "Ready for round two," Tony said, rubbing his hands.
"I've tweaked the frequency to hit our target universe," James said, checking parameters. "Energy buffers can handle bigger fluctuations now."
Wanda and Kara stood in the safety zone, ready for surprises. "3, 2, 1, activate!" The tunnel hummed, energy flowing smoothly. A blue vortex showed a city of skyscrapers, seemingly normal.
"Success!" Tony cheered. "We've opened a multiversal gate!"
James's super vision pierced the barrier, his expression shifting oddly. Tony noticed. "What's wrong?"
Kara's super vision and brain analyzed the scene, her brow furrowing. "Something's off."
Wanda pressed, "What's going on?"
James's lips curled into a cryptic smile. "Tony, want to meet your dad?"
Tony froze, pupils shrinking, breathing quickening. He leaned back, grasping the implication but needing clarity. "James, what's the deal over there?"
James stared into the vortex. "In that world, Iron Man is Howard Stark."
"What?!" Tony's voice cracked.
"And his son, Tony Stark, died in a terrorist attack," James continued. "Howard and Obadiah run Stark Industries, ruling the Americas."
Tony paled, hands trembling. "Impossible!"
Wanda, curious, asked, "What kind of world is it?"
James's gaze deepened. "A tampered world." He relayed the data: "A Creator organization rules, led by a Sorcerer Supreme-level figure and Doctor Doom, who's as brilliant as Tony. I suspect Doom used a time machine to alter history, preventing heroes' births."
Glancing at a shocked Tony, he added, "Thor's imprisoned, Loki rules Asgard, Odin's dead, Hela controls Europe. Black Panther rules Africa, Colossus and Iceman Asia, the Osborns Australia. The Creators' heroes and villains meet to maintain order."
Tony stood frozen, emotions swirling. "So, my dad's alive… as Iron Man?"
James nodded. "Exactly."
Tony took a deep breath, fists clenching. "We're going."
Wanda and Kara nodded in unison. "We're in."
James didn't hesitate. "Let's move." Tony's nanotech armor formed, gold-red plates locking. "Jarvis, log everything, be ready."
"Ready, sir," Jarvis replied.
James turned to Wanda and Kara. "Set?"
Wanda's scarlet magic flared; Kara levitated, eyes glowing. "Ready."
James stepped into the vortex, followed by Tony, Wanda, and Kara. The blue swirl closed, leaving the lab silent.
They emerged in New York, the sky gray, streets oppressive. Passersby moved with guarded, suppressed expressions. A massive hologram broadcast news: "The Creators announce the next global summit in New York. All continental rulers must attend."
Tony stared at the screen, pupils shrinking. Howard Stark, in gold-red armor, his familiar face aged but commanding. "Dad," he whispered.
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